Canucks swept out of NHL playoffs by Sharks, with likely sweeping changes to come

Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun05.08.2013

Vancouver Canucks prepare to leave the ice after their 4-3 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks in the fourth and final game of their NHL Western Conference quarter-final series, a sweep by the host Sharks, on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 in San Jose, Calif.Marcio Jose Sanchez
/ Associated Press

Goaltender Antti Niemi of the San Jose Sharks makes a pad save on the shot as teammate Brad Stuart and Mason Raymond of the Vancouver Canucks skate in during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Christian Petersen
/ Getty Images

San Jose Sharks defenceman Brent Burns (left) celebrates his goal with teammates Scott Hannan and Joe Thornton (right) during Game 4 of the Vancouver Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Marcio Jose Sanchez
/ AP

Dan Boyle of the San Jose Sharks passes the puck under pressure from Alex Burrows of the Vancouver Canucks during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Christian Petersen
/ Getty Images

Vancouver Canucks goalie Cory Schneider is beaten for a goal on a shot from San Jose Sharks defenceman Brent Burns as San Jose Sharks winger T.J. Galiardi (left) and the Canucks’ Andrew Alberts (right) watch during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Marcio Jose Sanchez
/ AP

Jannik Hansen of the Vancouver Canucks skates with the puck under pressure from Brad Stuart of the San Jose Sharks during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Christian Petersen
/ Getty Images

San Jose Sharks winger T.J. Galiardi (left) shields the puck from Vancouver Canucks centre Derek Roy during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Marcio Jose Sanchez
/ AP

Vancouver Canucks winger Jannik Hansen hits the ice next to San Jose Sharks centre Logan Couture during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Marcio Jose Sanchez
/ AP

Adam Burish of the San Jose Sharks attempts to break away with the puck from Jason Garrison (left) and Alex Edler of the Vancouver Canucks during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Christian Petersen
/ Getty Images

San Jose Sharks defenceman Dan Boyle (left) gives Vancouver Canucks winger Chris Higgins a bump during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Marcio Jose Sanchez
/ AP

Joe Thornton, Dan Boyle and Joe Pavelski (left to right) of the San Jose Sharks celebrate after Pavelski scored a first-period power play goal against the Vancouver Canucks during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Christian Petersen
/ Getty Images

T.J. Galiardi, Joe Thornton and Brent Burns (left to right) of the San Jose Sharks celebrate after Burns scored a first-period goal against the Vancouver Canucks during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Christian Petersen
/ Getty Images

Alex Burrows, Ryan Kesler, Mason Raymond and Dan Hamhuis (left to right) of the Vancouver Canucks celebrate after Raymond scored a first-period goal against the San Jose Sharks during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Christian Petersen
/ Getty Images

Joe Pavelski of the San Jose Sharks celebrates with teamates on the bench after scoring a first-period power play goal against the Vancouver Canucks during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Christian Petersen
/ Getty Images

San Jose Sharks forward Tommy Wingels (right) is covered by Vancouver Canucks defenceman Alex Edler during Game 4 of the Canucks-Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Marcio Jose Sanchez
/ AP

Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler and Daniel Sedin (left to right) of the Vancouver Canucks talk during a break in Game 4 of the Canucks-San Jose Sharks NHL Western Conference quarter-final series at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.Christian Petersen
/ Getty Images

SAN JOSE, Calif. — There’s no need to embellish how bad the Vancouver Canucks have been in the playoffs since reaching the Stanley Cup Final two years ago.

They have now lost 10 of their last 11 playoff games and for the second straight year have made an early first-round exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs.

This time they were swept.

The San Jose Sharks beat the Canucks 4-3 in overtime Tuesday night at the HP Pavilion to take the series 4-0.

Patrick Marleau scored at 13:18 of overtime, tapping in a loose puck in the Vancouver crease, to give the Sharks the win.

A first-round sweep figures to lead to sweeping changes, both on and off the ice, for the Canucks.

The jobs of head coach Alain Vigneault and his staff are most certainly on the line and general manager Mike Gillis is going to face some uncomfortable questions from ownership over the team's second straight playoff collapse.

Marleau's series-winning goal came with Canucks winger Daniel Sedin in the penalty box serving what appeared to be a highly questionable boarding call by referee Kelly Sutherland.

Daniel's hit on San Jose winger Tommy Wingels appeared to be shoulder-to- shoulder, but knocked Wingels into the boards.

Canucks captain Henrik Sedin called it a "bullshit call."

"It's overtime, I think it's shoulder-on-shoulder," Henrik said. "But again it's referees, we have to keep working the referees like we do every year. We are going to get some calls in the future. We don't get any right now. We have to keep being nice to them, keep showing respect, keep doing the same things, we are going to get the benefit of the doubt sometimes."

"You see that (type of hit) every 30 seconds in the St. Louis-Los Angeles series and you don't see any of those calls," added defenceman Kevin Bieksa.

Sutherland, it should be noted, is the same referee who gave Alain Vigneault a bench minor in a game in Calgary on March 3 that the Vancouver coach was livid about.

"I saw it only once, but to see a call of boarding on Danny Sedin I have never seen that in eight years," winger Alex Burrows said. "You have to deal with, we should have killed it and we can't blame the refs. We only have ourselves to blame. But I thought it was unlucky for Danny."

The Canucks did play their best game of the series and looked like they were going to force a fifth game back in Vancouver on Thursday night when Burrows and Alex Edler scored goals two minutes apart midway through the third period to give Vancouver a 3-2 lead.

"We were desperate, we tried to make plays, we worked our butts off tonight," said Burrows, who was Vancouver's best player Tuesday night. "I thought everyone really competed and wanted it but we fell short. It's really disappointing.”

Joe Pavelski, with his second of the night and fourth of the series, tied the game at 15:33 of the third on a San Jose power play. The goal came with Bieksa off serving a cross-checking minor.

Goalie Cory Schneider did not look good on Pavelski's tying goal or Marleau's winner. He coughed up rebounds that led to both goals. On Marleau's goal, he stopped a Joe Thornton shot, but the puck was left laying in the crease.

"He cut to the middle there and got off a quick shot," Schneider said. "I felt it hit my stick. I thought I had steered it to the corner and I don't know what happened. It must have just dribbled by the net there."

The Sharks grabbed an early lead at 2:41 of the first when Scott Hannan's wrist shot from the left point was tipped in the deep slot by Brent Burns and past Schneider. Joe Thornton started the play by winning a puck battle in the corner and sliding a backhand pass back to Hannan.

But the Canucks got a bounce of their own five minutes later when a Mason Raymond floater from just inside the blue line appeared to hit San Jose defenceman Brad Stuart before trickling by goalie Antti Niemi.

Pavelski restored San Jose's lead at 14:52 on a Sharks power play at 14:52 of the first. With Derek Roy in the box serving a boarding minor, Pavelski jumped on a rebound in the slot, wheeled around and put a shot through traffic that beat Schneider stick side.

The Canucks’ penalty-kill had to do some nice work in what was a scoreless second period.

Defenceman Dan Hamhuis received a double-minor for a high stick on San Jose forward Tommy Wingels and Schneider made a couple of big saves off T.J. Galiardi and Brent Burns. The Canucks also got lucky when Thornton fanned on an attempted shot while staring at a wide-open net.

The Canucks’ PK also had to kill a slashing minor to Edler later in the period.

Daniel Sedin came oh so close to tying the game early in the third. A rebound went directly to him and with Niemi out of position and the whole net to shoot at, Daniel put his shot off the inside of the far post.

The Canucks once again started the game with new line combinations. Zack Kassian skated with the Sedins, while Burrows played with Ryan Kesler and Raymond. Roy centred Chris Higgins and Jannik Hansen, while Max Lapierre skated between Steve Pinizzotto and Dale Weise on the fourth line.

ICE CHIPS: The Canucks had played 15 rounds since last being swept 4-0 by the Colorado Avalanche in a first-round series in 2001 … Pinizzotto replaced Tom Sestito in the Vancouver lineup.

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Canucks swept out of NHL playoffs by Sharks, with likely sweeping changes to come

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